Biker finds butchered boar in the Forest of Dean

BIKERS across the Forest of Dean have been asked to be vigilant after wild boar remains were found.

The picture of a pregnant sow’s head was posted on Facebook by a biker, who often uses the trail it was found on.

Alan Grist, who runs the Dean Trail Volunteers group, said: “The head was found by a fellow bike rider and he wanted other people in the area to be aware of it. Around 500 people use the woods for biking and walking.

“It was a pregnant female that poachers decapitated and removed its unborn piglet which they left with the mother’s head. I guess the carcass will have been sold.

“There have been similar incidents recently where somebody else in Staunton found another boar’s head.”

Richie Wakefield posted on Facebook: “Found a head and guts over Staunton way few weeks back.”

Ian Harvey, wildlife manager for the Forestry Commission in the Forest of Dean, has noticed an increase in the number of boars in the area.

He said: “We do get occasional reports of boar remains in the Forest of Dean. Poachers butcher the animals to either take the carcass to sell or for domestic usage. This activity is usually done in secret so can be hard to catch people and prosecute them.

“There is evidence to suggest the boar population has increased. We have had quite a few people reporting sightings of boars.”

In the past boars have caused a lot of damage to parts of the forest.

Back in January three councillors called for a referendum on a bigger cull of the animals.

UKIP trio Alan Preest, Richard Leppington and Colin Guyton wrote to Defra asking the Government department to fund a local poll.